Labels can serve as boundaries, hindering our progress toward new horizons. Even imagination has limits, as it holds you to what you’ve already experienced. But dreams, on the other hand, they're like powerful rockets that can transport us to unknown worlds and new unrealistic dimensions. Dreams shatter boundaries, compelling us to think outside the box, that’s why we are encouraged to "dream big" rather than "imagine big”. For me, it got to the point where I was unable to look at the world in a simple way. Everything that crossed my mind needed to be dissected. Putting labels on things makes the world go round, but at what cost? My own name, "Titus," turned out to be an early life lesson in the true impact of labels. It didn't take long for my schoolmates to dissect the first three letters from my name and run with the female anatomy jokes. At first, it all seemed like playful banter, to fit in and make friends. Being the timid, yet outgoing person I was, I went along with it, thinking it was just harmless teasing. As time went on, I grew out of the repeated name-calling. It wasn't limited to my name; it felt as though they were eroding my identity. The teasing didn't break me, but weakened my self-confidence. I lacked the guidance to deal with this situation. My immigrant parents, loving and well-intentioned, couldn't fully grasp the depth of the insults I encountered. In Uganda they grew up with similar names as their peers, sharing the same culture and experiences. I felt alone, like a puzzle piece without a picture to guide me, and I struggled with my confidence and self-image. Everything changed one day when I returned home to the sound of my little brother crying from the bathroom. As I peeked through the door, my heart was crushed. His face was a mess, smeared with white paint attempting to mask his melanin skin. As the door opened, the paintbrush fell from his trembling hand. Instantly our eyes locked, and understood each other without saying a word. Holding him tears fall, sharing his pain, I assure him to embrace his image for he was unique. The weight of my own experiences came to light, as I realized I couldn't stand to see him not comfortable in his own skin, just as I had At this moment, I knew I couldn't keep letting people damage me and my identity. Moving forward I was determined to put myself in positions to redefine my name. I discovered participating and involving myself in different extracurriculars could create a platform. Becoming a PeerForward Peer Leader, securing a spot on the basketball team, and most importantly being elected as Vice President my sophomore year, gave the name Titus a new definition. These roles provided me a spotlight for people to recognize my name. My name was now said with respect and delivered power. Seemingly creating a legacy, transforming the name Titus, breaking free of the name-calling and disrespect. Although I made progress with my identity I was not satisfied. I wanted my name to be known in my community as well. Which sparked my love of volunteering and making people smile. By becoming active in my church, and participating in monthly drives supplying food, essential supplies, and educational resources to the less fortunate. No matter how simple or complex words are, they hold power. They can hurt, uplift, and define how we see ourselves and how the world sees us. During this experience, I learned to embrace my name stand up for my identity, and discover the strength of being true to ourselves. Motivating others, learning to be accepting of who they are, and using their resources to their best ability. The revelation presented to me by my younger brother underscored the significance of dismantling barriers and embracing the complexities of our identities.

The reason why math is special to me is that it is quite an interesting subject that one can easily get engaged in, it is an exercise that gives satisfaction, and last, but not least, it is a subject present in our day-to-day life. It stems from the exhilaration that comes with the task of solving a particular problem, the joy that results from getting to the correct solution and the challenge that the human mind is subjected to. One of the most obvious reasons why I enjoy math is that it comes with a challenge of solving problems. It analogous to a puzzle because all mathematics problems come with an agenda that has to be met. The functionalities and the features involved in solving it have to be broken down in steps and it is really fun to figure it out. Generally, for every achievement and success rates that have been accomplished for the achievement of goals, there is always satisfaction. It is also a great pleasure and a wonderful feeling to get the correct answer as well. It’s really satisfying to solve a problem after struggling and spending sometime, to get the right answer is the best feeling. Math is concrete where one is provided with specific answers that make me feel challenging and more competent to solve other problems. Math also helps me to have perceiving the things which I have never before, so I like it. I find it as being precise, to demand patience and to innovate where necessary. That why sometimes even connecting the dots requires more creativity as in your problem some lines can never be parallel so maths will always be challenging and fun. It is a nice feeling when you’re in the middle of a tough problem and then finally solve it. To sum up, I like math due to entertainment, enjoyment, and exercise of the brain which grants satisfaction derived from receiving right answers. Understanding mathematics also shapes my thought process into being much more perceptive and positive experience of the satisfaction that is attained when completing a mathematics problem. It’s a process of gaining knowledge and applying it to the real-life situations that make me eager to work even more.

The seeds of my curiosity about how various mechanisms worked began to sprout, as I found myself increasingly drawn to unraveling the complex workings of the world around me. I discovered my passion for Computer Science. This path led me to dive into the inner workings of systems and to create innovative solutions through coding. From building my first computer to assisting friends in website development, my destiny was clear. I see my future in technology and aspire to intern or work at major companies like Google or Microsoft, or better create my own. Unknowingly, I stumbled into Computer Engineering when I built my own Personal Computer. This experience revealed that Computer Engineering is more than assembling components; it's about architecting systems. The field excites me because it opens doors to endless possibilities, from developing Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning to creating new technology for the healthcare industry, calculating and preventing world problems, as well as uplifting the human race for generations to come. My priority is to leave the world better than I found it making an everlasting contribution. I see myself aiding society by developing generational solutions and products. I dream of creating AI that can hold the consciousness of a dead or alive human being, in a sense making humans immortal. The technology industry offers incredible potential for making a real-world impact, as I will be the lead charge with my determination to leave the world better than I found it. My driving motivation is to improve representation in the tech industry. Research indicates a lack of diversity in Computer Science-related positions, particularly African-Americans with only 4.2%, compared to the dominant race leading the charge with 64.2%. This presents the opportunity for me to bridge this gap. Learning and growing with students with the same goal, the desire to make a change, and leaders of future billion-dollar industries. Making this more possible the reach and prestige to bring Google employees to residence, learning from people who work for companies like YouTube and Google. Having the profession we desire to have one day. Connecting with faculty members is crucial to success, whether it is attending office hours, building a relationship, or networking. Providing an environment of well-founded individuals who will change the world. An example is Professor Jeremy Blackstone. Who has successfully paved the way for African-American men in the field? We shared the same high school teacher, hearing his story from her I saw shades of myself in him. Acknowledging his success truly pushes me to reach new heights and make my dreams a reality. The rich culture, academic pursuit, and environment have left an outstanding legacy

Labels can serve as boundaries, hindering our progress toward new horizons. Even imagination has limits, as it holds you to what you’ve already experienced. But dreams, on the other hand, they're like powerful rockets that can transport us to unknown worlds and new unrealistic dimensions. Dreams shatter boundaries, compelling us to think outside the box, that’s why we are encouraged to "dream big" rather than "imagine big”. For me, it got to the point where I was unable to look at the world in a simple way. Everything that crossed my mind needed to be dissected. Putting labels on things makes the world go round, but at what cost? My own name, "Titus," turned out to be an early life lesson in the true impact of labels. It didn't take long for my schoolmates to dissect the first three letters from my name and run with the female anatomy jokes. At first, it all seemed like playful banter, to fit in and make friends. Being the timid, yet outgoing person I was, I went along with it, thinking it was just harmless teasing. As time went on, I grew out of the repeated name-calling. It wasn't limited to my name; it felt as though they were eroding my identity. The teasing didn't break me, but weakened my self-confidence. I lacked the guidance to deal with this situation. My immigrant parents, loving and well-intentioned, couldn't fully grasp the depth of the insults I encountered. In Uganda they grew up with similar names as their peers, sharing the same culture and experiences. I felt alone, like a puzzle piece without a picture to guide me, and I struggled with my confidence and self-image. Everything changed one day when I returned home to the sound of my little brother crying from the bathroom. As I peeked through the door, my heart was crushed. His face was a mess, smeared with white paint attempting to mask his melanin skin. As the door opened, the paintbrush fell from his trembling hand. Instantly our eyes locked, and understood each other without saying a word. Holding him tears fall, sharing his pain, I assure him to embrace his image for he was unique. The weight of my own experiences came to light, as I realized I couldn't stand to see him not comfortable in his own skin, just as I had At this moment, I knew I couldn't keep letting people damage me and my identity. Moving forward I was determined to put myself in positions to redefine my name. I discovered participating and involving myself in different extracurriculars could create a platform. Becoming a PeerForward Peer Leader, securing a spot on the basketball team, and most importantly being elected as Vice President my sophomore year, gave the name Titus a new definition. These roles provided me a spotlight for people to recognize my name. My name was now said with respect and delivered power. Seemingly creating a legacy, transforming the name Titus, breaking free of the name-calling and disrespect. Although I made progress with my identity I was not satisfied. I wanted my name to be known in my community as well. Which sparked my love of volunteering and making people smile. By becoming active in my church, and participating in monthly drives supplying food, essential supplies, and educational resources to the less fortunate. No matter how simple or complex words are, they hold power. They can hurt, uplift, and define how we see ourselves and how the world sees us. During this experience, I learned to embrace my name stand up for my identity, and discover the strength of being true to ourselves. Motivating others, learning to be accepting of who they are, and using their resources to their best ability. The revelation presented to me by my younger brother underscored the significance of dismantling barriers and embracing the complexities of our identities.